title: Changes of maternal dietary intake, bodyweight and fetal growth throughout pregnancy in pregnant Japanese women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The associations among changes in dietary intake, maternal bodyweight, and fetal growth during the course of pregnancy were investigated in a prospective cohort study carried out on 135 Japanese women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dietary intake was analyzed using digital photos of meals taken over 3 consecutive days, in the first, second and third trimester, and was compared with maternal bodyweight, estimated fetal bodyweight by ultrasound examination, and birthweight.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Surprisingly, the mean total calorie intake remained below 1600 kcal/day during pregnancy, much lower than the value recommended in the 2010 edition of 'Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese'. Dietary intake was similar throughout despite the recommendation of extra intake in late pregnancy. Maternal dietary intake did not correlate with fetal growth, although maternal bodyweight in the second trimester positively correlated with estimated fetal bodyweight in the third trimester. Maternal bodyweight before pregnancy positively correlated with birthweight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal bodyweight as well as eating habits established before pregnancy may have a considerable effect on fetal growth. There is an urgent need to improve the diet of Japanese women of child-bearing age, especially during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Course of Midwifery, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan.
authors.forename: Kimie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Itoh
authors.forename: Mitsue
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tasaka
authors.forename: Hatue
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: Yoshiharu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukuoka
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Muramatsu Kato
authors.forename: Yukiko Kobayashi
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kohmura
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugihara
authors.forename: Naohiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kanayama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000208:ethnology; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000208:ethnology; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D050177:Overweight / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000208:ethnology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013851:Thinness / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: diet; fetus; food; leanness; pregnancy; ultrasound